Former Wales Six Nations squad member thriving in England after quietly having to leave Welsh rugby

For Olly Cracknell, it seems like it happened to somebody else.

Rewind five years and there he was, in Wales’ Six Nations squad at the age of 22, propelled into the set-up by big-hitting performances that might have been signed off by the Amalgamated Society of Uncompromising Rugby Defenders.

A future with caps seemed on the cards for the Yorkshire-born kid with a grandfather from Llanelli.

But it didn’t turn out that way or at least it hasn’t turned out that way so far.

Wales didn’t use him at all during the campaign for which he had been selected and they haven’t called on him since, despite Cracknell making close on 600 tackles over two seasons until the end of 2019-20.

But it is to his credit that he doesn’t spend his days living wondering what might have been or indeed what still could be.

“2017 feels like a long time ago now,” laughs Cracknell, who joined London Irish from the Ospreys in the autumn.

“Being called up by Wales was an honour. I was young and hadn’t really been playing senior rugby for long.

“But I didn’t get to play in that Six Nations.

“You can only do your best and the back-row is and was a very competitive area in Wales.”

Does he still have Test ambitions? His reply is shot through with realism. “My position is that a few months ago I didn’t have a clue about my future. I wasn’t playing and didn’t know where my career was going.

“So I can’t say I spend all my time thinking about international rugby. It’s not on the radar right now.

“I just want to justify the faith London Irish showed in me.

“Also, the Gallagher Premiership is such an intense league it takes up all your thoughts.

“I want to play as well as I can for London Irish and enjoy what I’m doing.”

Cracknell has settled well in his new